THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN

November 27, 1991

NARCONON COURSES HARMFUL

TO THE EDITOR:

I understand that the Oklahoma State Board of Mental Health is considering an application by Narconon for a drug rehabilitation center. I strongly urge that this application be denied.

I heard that Kirstie Alley testified that the Narconon treatment program includes these four elements: a Communications course, a Life Operation course (LOC), a Key to LIfe (KTL) course, and something called Purification Rundown. Each of these elements is based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

One of my longtime best friends took these courses and others by Hubbard.

They have not improved her life, just the opposite. Before she took these courses (the LOC and KTL, in particular) she was a vibrant, enthusiastic, articulate, outgoing person full of humor, with many friends of different backgrounds, lots of interests and numerous hobbies. Today she associates almost exclusively with others who have taken one or more of these courses, no time for her previous hobbies and no interest in her previous friends. All I see anyone is a quiet, frightened lady who lets other people speak for her.

One brief exchange we had some time ago sticks vividly in my memory. My friend was telling me how good one of the courses was and how much another of our friends would benefit from it....but there was no emotion or conviction in her voice: the lady who gives the time over the phone conveys more emotion than my fiend did in that instance.

I have seen my friend undergo some drastic and negative personality changes in the past few years. I believe the changes are directly attributable she has taken, especially the LOC and KTL courses

I sincerely hope that Narconon's application will be denied. If these courses can do this to my best friend, I believe they can do this to anyone. You see, my best friend is also my mother.

Greta D. Reade Southfield, Mich.